Wire-twisting machine.



l J. 1. FOLEY. WIRE TWISTING MACHINE. .APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 7, 1909.

960,162. Patented May 31, 1910.

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JAMES F. FOLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. if

WIRE-TWISTING MACHINE.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. FOLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVire-Twisting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire twisting' machines in general, and while it is more especially concerned with devices for twisting the ends of bale-ties together, it contemplates wire-twisting machines for other purposes.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for securely binding or twisting the ends of two wires together.

Another object is to provide improved means which shall be especially adapted for twisting the ends of bale-ties together.

Other and further objects will appear in the following specification and be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification-Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the forked frame with the rotary ratchet head removed. Fig. 11 is a section on the line 1 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view of the wires after they have been bound together by the machine. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic View of a bale-compressing device.

My invention, of which one embodiment is illustrated in the drawings, contemplates any suitable means for gripping intersecting wires at their point of intersection and for twisting said wires outwardly in both directions from their point of intersection.

According to the construction and arrangement of parts shown in the drawing, I preferably employ a machine with a frame consisting of side members 1 and 2, suitably bent at one end to form parallel oiset p0rtions 12 and 18, and at the other end with laterally projecting portions 3 and 1, said side members being secured together intermediately of their ends by suitable fastenings 7, 8 and 9 along the portions 5 and 6. There are thus provided jaws or cheeks 12 and 13 which form lateral supports at one end and brace handles 8 and 41 at the other end. The outer forked ends or cheeks 12 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 7, 1909.

Patented May 31, 1910. serial No. 500,534.

and 13 of the side members 1 and 2 are preferably provided with points 10 by beveling the lower edges at 11. (See Fig. 2.) By this means, should the wire lie close to some object, such, for example, as a bundle, the jaws may be forced under the wire and brought into position for the twisting operation. Said cheeks 12 and 18 are provided adjacent to their ends with circular bearings 14;, 15, opening outwardly by the inclined slots 16, 17, through the upper edges of the cheeks 12 and 13. Bymeans of this construction and arrangement, the forward ends of the lateral supports or cheeks 12 and 13 are adapted to receive the overlapped ends of the binding wire in such a way that said wire ends are held against displacement by the tension of the wire which tends to force the wire in to the slots 16 and 17.

Carried by the jaws or cheeks 12 and 18 is suitable wire twisting means which, according to the embodiment shown, comprises a rotary head 18 which is preferably made of relatively great length, said rotary head being rotatably mounted in the bearings 14, 15 by means of the trunnions 19, 20. This head 18 is provided throughout its length with a slot 21 of sufficient depth to permit the wire to be sunk therein below the center of the rotary head, and of suiiicient Width to permit the wires to be revolved one about the other. Any suitable wire gripping means may be carried by the rotary head remote from the ends of said head, said means preferably consisting of jaws 22, 28, which are mounted in the walls of said slot by means of dove-tail slides. Said jaws are made in pairs to lit said slides, and of such sizes as will provide a space 24 that will admit only one thickness of the wires of whatever sizes which are to be twisted together by the machine. In order to provide suitable means for rotating the head 18, the periphery thereof is provided with ratchet teeth with which a ratchet pawl 27 carried by a lever 26, is adapted to coperate. Lever 26 has a slot 26a to match the slots 16 and 17. By an inspection of Fig. 1 it will be seen that the trunnion 19 at one end of the rotary head 18 has been made longer than the other trunnion 20. This is for the purpose of permitting the ratchet lever 26 to be pivotally mounted on said trunnion adjacent to the side member 1. Carried by said ratchet member 26 is a pivot 25 upon which is mounted a ratchet pawl 27 which engages the teeth of the ratchet head 18. Said pawl is maintained in engagement with the teeth of said ratchet head by any suitable means, such as a spring 28. Suitable detent means is provided by pivoting a detent 2901i the side member 2 said detent being maintained in engagement with the ratchet head 18 by means of a spring 30 for that purpose.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 of the d 'awings it will be noted that the lower lateral sides of the slots 1G, 1T in the cheeks 1Q, 13 are made to correspond with the side wall of the groove Q1 in the rotary head when said rotary head is held in position to receive the wires. Furthermore, it will be noted that the lower walls of the slots 16, 1T, adjacent the upper ends of said slots, have been provided with curved protuberances having points of tangency with the plane of the upper edge of the lower jaw 22, this construction being for the purpose of facilitating the introduction of the wires into the space 2% between the jaws Q2 and 23.

In the operation of my improved device,

the rotary head 18 is set with the slot 21 registering with the slots 16 and 17 in the jaws 12 and 13, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, whereupon the wires and 33, such as shown in Fig. 5, may be slid into the space 2st between the gripping aws. The head 18 is then rotated on its trunnions when the wires are twisted together in the form shown in Fig. 5. Should the machine be used with a bale compressing device, such as is illustrated in Fig. 7, the jaws 22, Q3 are made to engage the intersection of the wires, when said wires upon being forced in between the jaws Q2, 23, will be superposed one upon the other, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4l. In cases where the wire presses closely against an object, such as a bundle which it is to bind, the points 10 serve as an entering wedge for forcing the jaws 12 and 13 under the wires, when the machine is further manipulated in a manner already pointed out.

1. In a machine ofthe character described, a portable support, means for gripping overlapping portions of two wires at the middle of said portions, said means being adapted to permit the unrestrained movement of said portions on either side of the middle, and means for movably mounting the gripping means on the support, the last said means adapting the gripping means to revolve the adjacent portions of said wires one about the other.

2. In a machine of the character described, Side supports adapted to be disposed centrally with respect to overlapped portions of a. bale tie, aws movable on said supports about said overlapped portions and in the medial transverse plane of said portions said machine being constructed to permit the wires to adjust themselves freely on either side of said jaws.

3. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination with a pair of lateral supports adapted to be inserted between a bale and bale tie, of a gripping head journaled in said supports, said supports being provided with slots extending from the journals of said head to the upper edges of said supports and adapted by the arrangeinentl of said slots to maintain the wire in engagement with the gripping head.

a. In a machine for connecting the overlapping portions of two wires, side supports within which said wires may be revolved one about the other, a head mounted thereon to rotate about without engaging said overlapped portions, and gripping jaws carried by said head, said machine being adapted to be applied to the wire with the gripping jaws engaging said overlapped portions remote from the ends of said portions.

In a machine for the purpose described, the combination with a pair of lateral supports, of a gripping head journaled in said supports, said gripping head together with its journals being slotted longitudinally to permit the overlapped portions of 2a wire to be inserted thereinto to approximately7 the axis of rotation of said head, and said supports being provided with slots extending from the journals of said head to the upper edges of said supports, said supports being adapted by the arrangement of said slots to maintain the wire in engagement with the gripping head.

G. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination with a pair of lateral supports, of a gripping head journaled in said supports, said gripping head together with its journals being slotted longitudinally to permit the overlapped portions of a wire to be inserted thereinto to approximately the axis of rotation of said head, and said supports being provided with slots extending from the journals of said head to the upper edges of said supports, said supports being adapted by the arrangement of said slots to maintain the wire in engagement with the gripping head, and a pair of gripping aws mounted within the walls of the slot in said gripping head.

7. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination with a pair of lateral supports provided with points in the plane of their upper edges, of a gripping head ournaled in said supports, said supports being provided with inclined slots extending from the ournals of said head to the upper edges of said supports, said supports being adapted by the arrangement of said slots to maintain the wire in engagement with the gripping head.

8. In a device of the character described, theA combination of a rotary head provided with a longitudinal slot, and journals at the extremities of said slot, means remote from the ends of said slot for gripping t-he overlapped portions of adjacent wires, the said slot being wider than the space between said gripping means whereby the wires may twist in the slot, and lateral supports for rotatably mounting said journals, said supports being provided with forwardly inclined slots with which the slot in the rotary head may be brought into register.

9. ln a machine of the character described, a traine provided with downwardly inclined slots for receiving the overlapped portions of adjacent wires, said slots being of sutlicient size to permit the wires to be revolved one about the other, and wire-gripping means rotatable on said frame and centrally disposed with reference to said frame, said frame being adapted to be inserted between a bale and a bale tie on said bale.

10. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination with lateral supports, a head journaled in said supports, said head being provided with an axial slot having a width more than double the diameter of wires to be joined together therein, and gripping jaws removably mounted in the walls of said slot.

11. ln a machine for the purpose described, the combination with lateral supports, a head journaled in said supports, said head being provided with an axial slot having a width more than double the diameter oi" wires to be joined therein, the walls of said slots being provided with oppositely disposed grooves, and gripping jaws removably mounted in said grooves.

12. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination with lateral supports, a head journaled therein, said head being provided with a longitudinal slot eX- tending through said lateral supports, said slot being of a width more than double the diameter of wires to be twisted together therein, the walls of said slots being providedi with dove-tailed grooves remote from said lateral supports, and means for securing said jaws against displacement.

13. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination with lateral supports, a head journaled in said supports, said head having a longitudinal slot provided with grooves arranged in a plane between said lateral supports, gripping jaws in said grooves, and means extending through said head for releasably engaging said jaws.

lil. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination with lateral supports, of a ratchet head journaled in said supports, said head being provided with a longitudinal slot having grooves therein between said lateral supports, gripping jaws mounted in said grooves, and a retaining screw `for each gripping jaw, said screws being disposed in threaded apertures eXtending from spaces between adjacent ratchet teeth through the walls of said slot.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 3rd day of June A. D. 1909.

JAMES F. FOLEY.

Witnesses J AMES J. DEAsEY, VERNON E. WRIGHT. 

